Cherry rootstock GI 148/1

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of cherry rootsock, which has been given the designation GI 148/1 produces a tree which is generally erect and medium strong in growth, and which upon grafting produces a dwarf tree.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to cherry trees and morespecifically to a new and distinct variety of cherry hybrid tree whichis particularly useful as a rootstock.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new and distinct variety of cherry hybrid tree of the presentinvention was bred by the inventor as a cross of Prunus cerasus cv.Schattenmorelle with Prunus canescens in Giessen, Germany. It has beensuccessfully assexually propagated by softwood cuttings with mist atGiessen University, Giessen, Germany, and has been observed to remaintrue to the description set forth herein. In one test planting inKassel, Germany, 148/1 was chip-budded with a mean success of 72%.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new and distinct cultivar of cherry rootstock, which has been giventhe designation GI 148/1 produces a tree which is generally erect andmedium strong in growth, and which upon grafting produces a dwarf tree.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a branch and bloom of GI 148/1.

FIG. 2 illustrates GI 148/1 flowers.

FIG. 3 is a whole tree view of 148/1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

GI 148/1 as used as a rootstock for sweet cherry trees induces dwarfingto a significant degree. In comparison with rootstock F12/1, GI 148/1produces 67 percent of growth, as measured as the weight of the uppertree parts of cv. Hedelfinger after 12 years in orchards near Giessen,Germany. Precosity, high production of fruit and yield efficiency, good100-fruit weight and no or very few suckers were induced. GI 148/1 as arootstock confers earlier and heavier bearing to the scion as comparedto F12/1. In one trial it induced a yield in the variety "Hedelfinger"in the 5th leaf of 5.0 kg/tree (cf. F12/1: 0.2 kg/tree) and in the 7thleaf of 22.1 kg/tree (Cf. F12/1: 5.7 kg/tree). As a mean of 7 years,100-fruit weight of "Hedelfinger" grafted on 148/1 was 748 grams, and onF12/1 it was only 735 grams.

GI 148/1 itself is generally erect and medium strong in growth. Afterten growing seasons near Giessen, Germany, GI 148/1 demonstrated aheight of 3.60 meters and a width of 3.20 meters. The growth reductioninduced by 148/1 is more pronounced in good soil; in poor soil treesreach nearly the same height as F12/1. Comparison of tree height, 6thleaf, variety "Buttners Rote Knorpel" at Witzenhausen-Wendershausen(poor soil) and Hattersheim (very good soil) is as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                 Rootstock                                                            Location   148/1        F12/1   Colt                                          ______________________________________                                        Witzenhausen                                                                             350 cm       354 cm  340 cm                                        Hattersheim                                                                              388 cm       482 cm  465 cm                                        ______________________________________                                    

The following varieties of sweet and sour cherries have beensuccessfully grafted onto GI 148/1: Hedelfinger Riesenkirsche, ButtnersRote Knorpel, Grosse Schwarze Knorpel, Van, Gold, Ulster, Bing, EarlyBurlat, Emperor Francis, Querfurter Konigskirsche, Napoleon, Rainier,Sam, Schmidt, merton Glory, Alma, Meckenheimer Fruhe, Oktavia, Valeska,Spalding, Schneiders Spate Knorpel, Stella, Vega, Vic, Viva, Windsor,Hudson, Lambert; Montmorency, Meteor, Rubinweichsel, Morellenfeuer,North Star, Schattenmorelle, Rheinische Schattenmorelle, Ludwigs Fruhe,Leitzkauer, Nabella, Successa, Schwabische Weinweichsel. No graftincompatibility is presently known.

148/1 is tolerant to both viruses PNRV and PDV and medium sensitive to"Pfeffinger disease." It is tolerant to water logging and has sufficientfrost hardiness.

Ploidy of 148/1 is believed to be 2n=3x=24. The ploidy status of theparents has been investigated by isoemzyme analysis and is tetraploid(2n=4x=32) for the mother plant=Prunus certasus "Schattenmorelle", anddiploid (2n=2x=16) for the father plant=Prunus canescens.

Leaves:

Overall shape.--Ovate.

Length-to-width ratio.--1.6.

Apex shape.--Acute to slightly acuminate.

Base shape.--Rounded, slightly acute.

Leaf serration.--Doubly serrate leaf margin, secondary notches aresmall.

Venation.--Pinnate, 11-13 veins, mainly alternate.

Stipules.--Prominent, at base of petiole during growing season.

Glands.--Rounded, attached to base of blade or adjacent petiole, 2-3prominent plus 1-2 rudimentary.

Pubescence.--Very slightly pubescent on adaxial surface (top), slightlypubescent on abaxial surface, most along veins.

Color.--Green, Fan 3 143A (R.H.S. -- The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart).

Branches:

Thickness of one year branch.--2.0 mm diameters.

Color.--Redbrown-grey.

Canopy area.--88% of F12/1.

Lenticels.--On 1-year old branches are light cream colored, 0.5 mmdiameter. Color of 1-year old branch: greyed organe, Fan 4, 166-A(R.H.S.). Color of 2-year old branch: greyed orange, Fan 4, 165-A(R.H.S.). Color of 3-year old branch: greyed orange, Fan 4, 165-A(R.H.S.). Color of 4-year old branch: greyed orange, Fan 4, 175-A(R.H.S.).

Buds: No ornamental value.

Shape.--Conical, somewhat rounded, adpressed, 2-3 mm long.

Bud scales.--Overlapping bud scales, smooth, with prominent leaf scars.

Flowers: Late flowering.

Abundance.--Heavy.

Petal color.--White.

Petal shape.--Nearly round.

Petal length.--1:1.

Filaments.--Coarse, erect.

Fruits:

Size.--Medium.

Form.--Round.

Stem length.--Medium.

Skin color.--Red.

Flesh Color.--Yellow.

Juice color.--Light.

Flesh texture.--Very soft.

Taste.--Bitter sweet.

Stone size.--Medium.

Overall vigor:

Ungrafted.--Medium strong vigor.

Suckers.--No suckers in unworked condition; few suckers grafted with"Hedelfinger".

Support.--No support required.

Root system: Exceptional total length of roots and a high percentge ofvery thin roots.

Survey of growth data: Growth of clones, not grafted, 60 kilometerssouth of Giessen, Germany.

Planted.--Autumn 1972; cut down to the ground Spring 1982.

Measurements.--After 10 years: -- height 3.6 meters. -- width 3.2meters. -- depth 3.5 meters. -- fresh weight 32.8 kg.

General.--Medium strong growing, broad. Growth of clones grafted with"Hedelfinger Riesenkirsche" 60 kilometers south of Giessen, Germany.

Planted.--Nov. 1975.

Rooted out.--Apr. 1988 (after 12 years in orchard) mean values of twotrees compared with means values of three trees F12/1 standard.

    ______________________________________                                                        GI 148/1  F12/1                                               ______________________________________                                        Height of Crown   3.3 m       5.2 m                                           (Winter 87/88)                                                                Width of Crown    5.2 m       6.2 m                                           (Winter 87/88)                                                                Stem Cross Sectional                                                                            492 cm.sup.2                                                                              503 cm.sup.2                                    Area of Variety                                                               (Winter 87/88)                                                                Stem Cross Sectional                                                                            266 cm.sup.2                                                                              486 cm.sup.2                                    Area of Rootstock                                                             (Winter 87/88)                                                                Fresh Weight of Plant                                                                           118 kg      176 kg                                          Parts Above Ground                                                            (April 88)                                                                    Weight in Percent 67%         100%                                            ______________________________________                                    

Characteristics of leaves: (situated on the wood of that year) measured1977=in the 5th leaf and compared with F12/1:

Mean length of leaves was.--5.5 cm (F12/1: 10.7 cm).

Mean width of leaves was .--3.4 cm (F12/1: 5.3 cm).

Mean length of petioles was.--0.9 cm (F12/1: 2.6 cm).

Dates.--Of blooming were systematically studied for three years asfollows: Heldenbergen, 60 km south of Giessen: 1973: Apr. 26. 1974: Apr.9. 1975: Apr. 29.

Branch dimensions (For a single GI 148/1 plant in the ungraftedcondition measured in the end of 1977=after the 5th leaf; in bracketsdata for F12/1 for comparison.):

Mean length of 1-year-old branches.--22.8 cm (19.8).

Mean length of 2-year-old branches.--17.2 cm (35.0).

Mean length of 3-year-old branches.--50.8 cm (63.2).

Mean diameter of 1-year-old branches.--2.0 mm (3.4).

Mean diameter of 2-year-old branches.--3.2 mm (5.8).

Mean diameter of 3-year-old branches.--5.8 mm (10.1).

Mean no. of branches from 2-year-old branches.--0.2 (0.7).

Mean no. of branches from 3-year-old branches.--(2.4).

Mean no. of nodes of 2-year-old branches.--8.4 (15.3).

Mean no. of nodes of 3-year-old branches.--21.4 (22.4).

Mean angle of 3-year old branches.--61.0 (59.7).

Mean angle of 4-year old branches.--55.0 (58.3).

Enzyme polymorphism: (Studied by horizontal starch gel electrophoresisof leaf tissue of 8 loci.) The results for the siblings of 148 are:

    ______________________________________                                        Locus                148/1   148/8                                            ______________________________________                                        Aconitase-2           24      2                                               Alkoholdehydrogenase-1                                                                             112      1                                               Isocitratdehydrogenase-2                                                                           112     112                                              Leucinaminopeptidase-1                                                                              34      34                                              5-Phosphogluconat-   112     112                                              Dehydrogenase-1                                                               6-Phosphogluconat-   122     122                                              Dehydrogenase-2                                                               Phophoglucose-Isomerase-2                                                                          224     224                                              Phosphoglucomutase-2  25      25                                              ______________________________________                                    

Whate is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of charry hybrid treeas described herein.